Buried

Where does one begin? I have sat down and attempted to update you all many times and I either am purely exhausted, overcome with emotion, or simply running off to the next shift. So, here it is 5:44 a.m. in NYC and I am determined to get you all somewhat updated.

Most of you will recognize the name Florence Nightingale, the mother of nursing who believed that a patient needed love and care to regain their health; part of that is making sure that the client has a clean environment to be in during this healing process. Just think for a moment can your rest let alone heal when the garbage is overflowing, there are needle caps on the floor, wrappers on the bed, lights left on, oh and don’t forget the door left open? HECK NO! Not only did these theorists play a role in my life but I want to take an opportunity to shout out another person who shaped me into the nurse I am today, making sure that my patients have the cleanest rooms NO MATTER WHAT! I cannot count how many times I have been asked or told, “you do realize we housekeeping to take out the trash.” I’m sorry, NO I am not sorry, none of us are above taking a garbage bag out of a patients room or putting a clean bag in the hallway ones when EVERYSINGLE patient is on isolation!

So this individual that I want to give a shoutout to is my previous boss, Diane Foss. Diane really instilled in me the importance of a clean room and more than that; she had standards for our unit. You could walk the hallways on my floor at Methodist hospital at Mayo Clinic and they were 99% of the time impeccable; ok she did usually have to push in chairs and lower key boards in the north and south halls EVERY SINGLE morning BUT the residents used those and just kept moving. She always encouraged that at the end of each shift, make sure your garbage is taken out, your linen is taken out, counters are clean, if your toilets are dirty use the brush and clean them!

The entire month of April at Mt. Sinai was beyond frustrating, these humans, who call themselves nurses do not understand what keeping a clean environment means. It hurts my heart; for those of you that know me, yes I go behind all of them and pick up their trash because it drives me absolutely crazy! Our patients may be ventilated, paralyzed, and sedated, but let me tell you……as Diane always said and as I always told my students if something goes wrong (which these days there is a code hourly) you need space, the ability to trace lines quickly, and know what you have and what you don’t.

With that being said, thank you Diane; thank you for instilling a sense of pride and ownership. There were many times that discussions were had about remembering to take out the trash at the end of the shift, take out linen bags when half full, etc., it is because of you Diane, and those conversations that stations 6-2 employees were always applauded as outstanding and why today I want to dedicate this post to you!

Don’t worry, I know I am WAY behind in updates. More posts are coming!

Blessings,

Liz